And TV replays appeared to show Froome giving closest challenger Fabio Aru a deliberate shoulder barge as retaliation for the Italian's attack when the leader signalled to Team Sky's support car for a replacement bike after a mechanical problem.

It all added up to 113 miles of the most brutal and explosive stages in Le Tour's history. Thank goodness Monday's a rest day – we all need to catch our breath.

The Australian lost control on the descent from Mont du Chat in skidpan conditions, and as his bike careered down the left bank, Porte skidded across the road, smashed into the opposite wall and brought down Ireland's Birmingham-born Dan Martin, who could not avoid careering into him.

It looked like one of Le Tour's most serious crashes, but on Sunday night Porte's BMC sporting director Fabio Baldato revealed: “Richie was always conscious, he knew what had happened. He was asking for his helmet and his sunglasses.”

What a fair dinkum Aussie: Porte hits a wall at 45mph, is loaded into an ambulance in a neck brace, and all he wants is his shades.

Richie Porte has his neck supported by a doctor (Image: REUTERS)

And spare a thought for Thomas, who confirmed his undisputed title as the unluckiest man ever to ride a bike.

The double Olympic track gold medallist is hard as nails, and four years ago he completed the whole Tour de France with a fractured pelvis.

But even Thomas could not carry on with a bust collarbone after hitting the tarmac on the way down from the Col de la Biche.

Froome, who came third in a thrilling six-man sprint to extended his overall lead by banking four bonus seconds, was right. He said this stage would blow the lid off this Tour de France, and it did. Two of the top five overnight crashed out.

The three-times champion's ride was brave and brilliant after the hammerblow of losing Thomas the flank engine - but it was also laced with intrigue.

Moments after Froome had signalled frantically for a replacement bike after gear trouble on Mont du Chat, Aru – still only 18 seconds behind on the general classification – immediately attacked.

Shafting the Yellow Jersey when he suffers a mechanical problem is one of the peloton's strict taboos.

Nor are deliberate bodychecks, barges or shoulder charges allowed, and when Froome wobbled for an instant back in the GC group, coincidentally it was Aru who was on the receiving end of a nudge as he corrected his line.

Froome said: “I wasn't aware that Fabio had attacked – at the time I was too busy looking for the team car to get me a spare bike.

“And when I got back to the group, it looked as if Richie said to my rivals, 'Listen, guys, this is not the moment to attack the leader of the race.' I want to say thank you to Richie and the other riders who did not attack.

“Later on I did have a bit of a wobble on a switchback and I just lost my steering round a corner. It was in no way a swipe at Aru.”

Froome was visibly shaken when he was shown TV pictures of Porte's crash, saying: “It leaves you with a horrible feeling. It was awful to watch.

“It's definitely a case of mixed feelings today – I'm happy still to be in the jersey, but that was a crazy stage and of course I've also lost a team-mate with a broken collarbone.”

Thomas, second in the general classification overnight and owner of the leader's Yellow Jersey for the first four stages after his stunning time trial win in Dusseldorf, blamed Polish rider Rafa Majka for causing the crash that ended his race.

He said: “It's a massive disappointment – it's just not happening for me this year, but s*** happens, doesn't it?

Nairo Quintana lost a lot of time on Sunday (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“Majka came down right in front of me and there was nowhere to go. He was trying to take me on the inside on the corners, just desperate to get around me. I let him pass and then literally 10 seconds later, he's on the floor and taking me down.

“Normally you can get up and get going again, but I knew something was bad. The race doctor and team doctor both confirmed it.”

Martin, who was not afforded the same protocol as race leader Froome when he was brought down by Porte's horrible smash, did wonderfully to recover and finish just 1min 44sec behind Froome on the leaderboard.

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He said: “Richie lost it on one corner – it was so slippery, I guess the organisers got what they wanted. It was so slippery under the trees. I was very, very lucky to get away as lightly as I did.”

In the gripping sprint climax, Froome's former team-mate Rigoberto Uran of Colombia pipped Warren Barguil in a photo finish.

Barguil burst into tears, believing he had pulled off a home win for France, until the freeze-frame put him right.

Uran's was a miraculous win because his machine was damaged in the crash which took out Porte and Martin, leaving him to complete the stage with only two gears.